I've got a vintage Lyman #55 and I use it to load for my pistols. I'm not happy with the charge variation and find I need to tweak it in after every five rounds or so. I'm typically loading 5 to 6 gr of powder. Is there a better powder measure out there today that throws consistent charges with low variation?

IMHO the #55 is the best manual one. I've been using the same one for almost 40 years. I bought one of the electronic measurers but found that it was too slow for me and not much more accurate than my old powder throw. Of course, I don't worry about 1/10th gr variations in my rifles. Maybe I should but I don't.

The Lyman 1500 XP electronic digital scale with the trickler is worth it's weight in gold for me. I check all my Manual scales with it and usually find then slightly off. I have used several over the years, but now the Lyman does it all. I also use the the old Lyman Autoscale automatic dispensor with balance beam and the new automatic dispensor with digital scale. Good shooting.

For small pistol charges the Redding powder measure with its interchangable "small" micrometer dispenser is one of the best, if not the best. The same measure is probably also the best "popularly priced" measure for rifles with its "large" micrometer (and the "large" micrometer does fine for small pistol charges, for that matter.)

Harrel's makes a rifle-sized powder measure that is claimed to be superior to nearly all others, but its price is also quite superior, I understand.

The use of any of the electronic "trickler" powder dispensers would be a huge waste of both money and time for loading handgun rounds. From unbiased reports, I understand they are also a waste for just about anything else, too.

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Originally posted by Stonecreek:


The use of any of the electronic "trickler" powder dispensers would be a huge waste of both money and time for loading handgun rounds. From unbiased reports, I understand they are also a waste for just about anything else, too.

Whilst agreeing that the electronic dispensers aren't suitable for handgun loads due to their speed, the latter part of what you say is untrue & goes against both my personal experience & comments widely posted on the internet as to their performance.

For conventional measures dealing with small charges, the Lyman 55 and Reddings with small chambers are indeed as good as they get. For larger doses of coarse tubular powders, Lee's Perfect Measure is as good as it gets. Nothing works very well with thin flake powders.

The value of digital dumpsters vs. manual depends entirely on how smoothly and precisely the user is. If we're clumsy, our tool placements are poor and we're slow, the digital systems offer great improvements. Otherwise there's no effective difference.

I have a #55 and have zero problems

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Originally posted by Jim C. <><:
For conventional measures dealing with small charges, the Lyman 55 and Reddings with small chambers are indeed as good as they get. For larger doses of coarse tubular powders, Lee's Perfect Measure is as good as it gets. Nothing works very well with thin flake powders.

The value of digital dumpsters vs. manual depends entirely on how smoothly and precisely the user is. If we're clumsy, our tool placements are poor and we're slow, the digital systems offer great improvements. Otherwise there's no effective difference.

You obviously haven`t tried a JDS Quick Measure..

I use two Lyman 1200 DPS Electronic powder dispensors with digital scales, two of the old Lyman Autoscales and the 1500 Electronic scale with manual powder trickler mounted on the scale. I shoot from 2500 to 3000 rounds per year and consider these scales and dispensors extremely critical in my reloading for all this shooting. Not only do they make it faster and easior but much more accurate. I do not reload for handguns, except for a 7mmBR that I use for Elk hunting as a backup. I cannot comment on how others use them or think of them, this is my opinion after many years of usage. Good shooting.

I own 2 Lyman measures, 2 Bonanza, 1 RCBS, 1 Dillon and 1 Harrell's. Nowadays, I only use the last 2.

There is no "best" of anything. What people consider the "best" is what they use.

My Belding & Mull clone works well for loads that small, as does my 1st Gen Hollywood. For loads of >6-grains, my Quick-Measures work great w/ all powders.

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Originally posted by Jim C. <><: Nothing works very well with thin flake powders.

Really? My B&M clone will measure any powder within .2gr, and the same for the Quick-Measure. When I tested my Hollywood using flake Bullseye, all ten charges were exactly 6-grains.

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Really? My B&M clone will measure any powder within .2gr, and the same for the Quick-Measure.

Perhaps we differ in what "works very well" means to us.

I have had no problems dropping pretty consistant charges of any ball powder from any measure I've ever tried. But a dropped charge range of +/- .2 gr. sounds quite good for a rifle case of 60+ gr. of tubular powder like IMR-4350 - even IF your favorite measures can actually do so with that powder, which I must say I trully doubt. But, at 10% of the total, that .4 gr. range is quite a swing for a 4 gr. charge with flake powders like Bullseye. IMHO.

Of course you may be right about the Hollywood powder measures. I haven't tried one of them recently but the one I did try long ago seemed a direct ancester of current metal drum measures from RCBS, Hornady and Redding so I wouldn't expect much difference in application. Anyway, where would you suggest someone go to buy a new Hollywood powder measure next week? Or a real B&M for that matter?

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Anyway, where would you suggest someone go to buy a new Hollywood powder measure next week? Or a real B&M for that matter?

Both can be found on Ebay on a daily basis. Also, B&M has re-started manufacture and sales, w/ shipping to start shortly.

B&M

"Both (Hollywood and B&M powder measures) can be found on Ebay on a daily basis."

Well, that's true but my question carefully specified NEW and I've never seen a new Hollywood or B&M measure on ebay, or anywhere else.

My experience with ebay purchases has run from perfect to not very good; I ONLY bid on things I know something about and can evaluate in a photo. I don't reccommend ebay to noobs and IF I were a noob I certainly would NOT buy second-third-fourth hand ebay stuff for my prime equipment. But ... whatever.